1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming system, a method of controlling the same, and a program for implementing the method, and in particular to an image forming system in which image forming operations of a plurality of inputted jobs are executed by a plurality of image forming apparatuses, a method of controlling the same, and a program for implementing the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as an image forming system in which image forming operations for a plurality of inputted jobs are carried out by a plurality of printers, an image forming system in which a plurality of printers and a plurality of computers are connected via a network is known. In such an image forming system, users can select a desired printer using printer drivers that run on the respective computers to thereby carry out printing.
An image forming system using a client-server arrangement where jobs issued by clients are outputted to printers via a server computer is also known.
Recently in the so-called “print on demand” (hereinafter, “POD”) market, the printing of documents with large numbers of pages, the printing of large numbers of copies, and post-processing or the like of such large numbers of pages or copies are performed with increasing frequency. Specifically, copying contracting business is expanding, in which a copy center or the like receives copying requests from a plurality of clients and has a full-time supervisor perform copy operations. The following procedure is carried out in the copying contracting business.
When a client makes an order, the client can provide the copy center with an original to be copied by taking the original directly to the copy center, by handing over a recording medium, such as a flexible disk, on which the original is stored in the form of an electronic document, or by sending the original via a network.
When printing of large volumes of documents is performed, high-speed printers are normally used to increase efficiency. High-speed printers can be used and adjusted in a variety of ways, and it is common for maintenance and printing to be performed after a full-time supervisor has already decided the order of print jobs. In this case, clients only have to provide the full-time supervisor with the originals or print data produced by converting the originals into electronic documents. In a print shop equipped with a large number of printers, it is becoming increasingly common for a single supervisor to operate a plurality of printers.
However, there is the following problem with the conventional image forming system described above. After print jobs have been assigned to a plurality of printers (hereinafter, this process is called “scheduling”), if maintenance such as refilling with consumables or replacement of components becomes necessary for one or more of such printers, such printer(s) is/are out of operation during maintenance performed by the supervisor. Accordingly, print jobs that are assigned to printers subjected to maintenance are performed after such printers are restored to working order. This means that there have been situations where print jobs are outputted before print jobs that were issued earlier.
When such a situation occurs, if the client requires the print job to be output in a hurry, it is possible to repeat the same job using another printer. However, since the print job assigned to the printer subjected to maintenance will be outputted once the maintenance is completed, there is waste involved with producing the same print output again.